Recently I wrote about 10 reasons to really like the HCSB. I then solicited input from my subscribers to make this list.
These are all reader-submitted. So this gives you a taste of why some other people like the HCSB. Interestingly, some of them are on my “Things I Don’t Like” list! Oh well. To each his own. It just goes to show that this translation is not meant for a narrow target audience.
You’ll also notice that some are repeated. That’s because more than one person likes that particular feature.
By the way, one of the people who submitted something to this list will win a Limited Edition HCSB Minister’s Bible. I’ll be announcing the winner soon!
So here you are: 40 reader-submitted reasons to LOVE the HCSB:
- Highlighted OT passages in NT let the reader know the OT is being quoted
- Literal translations in footnotes. I think that this may be the best feature actually. While the translators will translate in modern English, they will give you the literal word for word in the footnote so you can learn a little “ancient idiom.”
- Modern speech with contractions; it reads like normal people write and talk
- Modern idioms (see Amos 4:6) are used so the reader can understand (just like jokes in other languages don’t translate well, neither do idioms)
- John 3:16. I am over 50, and for the first time in my life, I understand this verse
- Capital pronouns for Deity. While sometimes this requires an interpretation, I do like the fact that I can keep people straight when there are a lot of pronouns in a sentence
- Manuscript differences in brackets. When the Majority or Received text is different from the Critical text, it’s usually noted by full brackets so you can either choose to follow or ignore it depending on your persuasion
- This is a recent translation from current accepted manuscripts rather than an update, so…
- It is not bound to previous translation decisions, i.e., it doesn’t have to “sound” like an older English text
- It comes in a wide variety of quality products (binding, fonts)
- An essentially literal translation
- “Yahweh”
- Rendering John 3:16 such that it doesn’t sentimentalize God’s love for the world
- Avoids awkwardness like, “The LORD is a warrior, the LORD is his name.”
- Will play well with my ESV
- It breaks the whole “I’m going to be a bible translation with three letter initials.”
- Will be a good change of pace
- Translator commitment to inerrancy
- Footnotes things relevant to textual criticism
- Lots of footnotes
- Conservative scholars translated it and reviewed it
- It is translated from the most reliable manuscripts
- It has attempted to avoid being bound by traditional renderings
- It is a formal translation that is very, very readable
- It is published by a conservative Christian company
- It retains traditional theological terms
- The bullet notes are excellent
- It will be distributed worldwide for evangelism purposes through Holman Bible Outreach International
- There are many editions produced which are evangelism Bible handbooks (e.g.: Share Jesus Without Fear N.T.; The Way of the Master N.T.; Darwin’s Bible; Atheist’s Bible)
- Those who are involved in the process of revision are truly listening to those who will be using the HCSB in local churches, colleges, and seminaries
- Capitalization of the Persons of the Trinity
- I like that the “missing verses” are included in the text instead of footnotes. (i.e. Luke 17:36)
- Sounds good when read aloud
- John 3:16
- Footnotes for other manuscripts
- Bold type when the Old Testament is quoted in the New Testament
- New translation and not a revision
- Great for in depth study and personal devotions
- The use of Yahweh and especially Messiah
- I have a new translation to recommend and use in my youth ministry!
Have your own things you like about the HCSB? Leave them in the comments below.
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I too like the use of Yahweh and Messiah, John 3:16 & “Your Name be Honored as Holy” rather than the traditional “Hallowed be your Name” for the Lords prayer.. all in a much more easy to read, comprehend & understandable way.. For myself, the HCSB speaks to me better and as we all know, the Best Bible version/translation is the one you READ …
I forgot to mention that one in my list, but “Your name be honored as holy” is sooooo much better than using “hallowed,” in my humble opinion.
Good list. I would only repeat my “selling point” for the CSB: modern English grammar plus traditional theological terminology. Best of both worlds, IMO.
Absolutely. That combination is really the big category that most of the others fall into. It’s sounds trite, because most translations bill themselves with similar terms, but the HCSB has really done it well.
I’ve been using my CSB to finally read the majority of the OT. I confess that I’ve neglected the vast majority of it for too long. Now, I’ve just made it through the Pentateuch, and on to Joshua. Through this, I’ve taken the time to compare it with my NET. This has definitely confirmed for me one of the CSB’s other strong-suits, it’s verbally ‘lean’.
There’s a short article about just that fact on Holman’s site. It notes that of the all of the other mainline translations use far more words to communicate the originals to us. It makes me realized just how wordy the NET is, and also for that matter, the vaunted NASB!
I’ve already ordered a couple of the older text editions of the CSB, as I’m necessisarily tracking with some of the updates I’ve seen detailed on other blogs. Such as displacing the order of the “In Him, …” in Ephesians 1. Still, I know I’ll end up with one eventually, just because…..
…that is, I’m NOT necessarily tracking w/them….Sorry for that!
Will,
Fantastic list! I’m bookmarking this post to come back to time and time again reminding me WHY I’ve been smittin’ [wait, that was so KJV] with the HCSB.
HA! It is a good thing to be smitten by that which thou findest good.
Ugh, it’s hard to type in KJV anymore.